The Portland daily press., 1887-08-23


ceived at the Treasury Department from
San Francisco states that the whaling feet
tender Pearl has arrived. and reports that
the revenue cutter Bear, reported lost, has
been with the fleet and has gone north of
Point Barrow.
A Clean Sweep.
Pains have been taken to give currency to
the statement that the Administration has
removed nearly all Of the postmasters. This
is especially significant in view of the fact
that the report in which the statement would
ordinarily be made will not be made public
until December, when it is sent to Congress.
and it is customary to guard the information
of this, report from the public and the press
until that time, as contrary course would
important just now that the rank and file of
the Democracy should know that the Presi-
dent has made clean sweep than that the
usual sefnpulous regard for the courtesy due
to Congress should be observed, and the an
nouncement is accordingly made exultingly
IN all good Democratic organizations that
the Administration has given in.
Prompted by Generosity.
The newspapers of the Dominion have
fallen into a curious error in the matter of
the recent release by the Government of
certain British vessels seized by our revenue
cutters on the charge of having unlawfully
captured seals in the waters of the Behring
Sea. The Canada newspapers assume that
the release implies that the United States
had no ground for holding the seized vessels.
and released them in order to avoid trouble.
The contrary is the fact. The government
did not release the vessels because there
was no ground on which to hold them, but
because the captains of the vessels pleaded
ignorance of the law, and agreed to hereaf-
ter obey its provisions, Our government
consequently released them in a spirit of
magnanimity, for there was no reason to de-
sire to prosecute them. The object of the
United States Will be secured when the Brit
ish vessels acknowledge the force of the
Federal law upon the subject. This is made
quite clear In the communication which the
State Department has this week furnished to
the British Minister at the request of Her
MaJesty's government.
A Civil Service Controversy.
The civil service commissioners, are
for the first time becoming decidedly inhar-
monious in their views This will probably
be made very evident when their ideas about
the Chicago Custom House management are
made public Commissioner Lyman, the
Republican member of the Board, is dis
posed to lay down some rules in regard to
removals from office, it appearing that in
this case great many removals have been
made merely for political reasons and with
out regard to the interests of the service.
commissioner Edgerton, on the other
hand, will undertake to justify the course
that has been pursued at Chicago. 1t is
even said that he will be so injudicious as to
attack the oiyi1 raf
leagues. as lot of busybodies banded to-
gether for the purpose of annoying the ad-
ministration." He will hold that govern
ment employe always continues on ''proba-
tlon.' When man or woman receives an
appointment under the government, they
cease to be wards of the commission, and
their relative merit has thereafter to be de-
clded by the power that selected them from
the certiication of the commission. Service
under the government is continual Strug-
gle for advancement. and should be so, for
the instant that man or woman ceases to adj
vance, that instant, to use the language of
the report, they begin to rot" The con-
tinued holding of an office, says the commits
sloner, should depend upon the merits of the
incumbent. There should be no tenure of
office. As soon as an employe becomes use
less or inefficient the appointing power
should not be restrained from removing him
at once. and without question as to his rea-
sons for so dong.
Private Shepherds Pension.
Private William j. Shepherd, of the Twen-
ty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, has re-
ceived notice that he is entitled to pension
and back pay for a wound received twenty
three years ago. The fortunate soldier
lives in Philadelphia. Shepherd has been
working to secure a pension for twenty
years or more. He was wounded on the an
niversary of Washington's Birthday, 1864, by
the accidental discharge of a comrades
musket during parade of the Twenty-ninth
Regiment. The bullet struck him in the
right ankle, infiicting serious wound. At
ter his recovery, Private Shepherd rejoined
his command at the front, and served in sew
eral important engagements. AT the close of
the war he applied for pension, but re-
ceived no encouragement From time to
time, however, he persistently renewed his
application, until it was at last favorably
considered. The argument made by Shep-
herd was that he was still in the service when
he was wounded. The back pay and
arreareges due him will amount to $4,000 or
more. Private Shepherd is forty-five years
Oh age. de still suffers from the wound.
Postmasters and Pensions.
The following Maine postmasters were APP
pointed today:
Mrs. E. e. Libby, Larone, Somerset county,
vice Albion II. Libbey, moved away.
James A. Chase, Litchfeld Plains, Kennebec
county, vice Eben Toothaker. removed.
Maine Pensions.
The following Maine pensions were grant
ed today:
Nancy, widow of George L. McKenny, Lincoln
Vile Centre.
Benjamin d. Castor, Topsham.
Aaron h. Davis, Orand.
William H. Gordon, Plymouth
tristan z; Gooding, East Hampden.
Charles w. NickersOn, Newport
Anthony r. ToZer, Easton.
Ruel Cunningham Gardiner
Levi M. Moore, Norridgewock
Augustus G. Streeter, Fairbanks.
George L. Mckinney, Linconville Centre.
Elias Thayer, Brewer.
Kendall s. Jackins, Hodgdon.
Warren Brown (Mexican War, PASSPORT
AMu Ecc nnuur-e